Around 600 AUD for shoes which people are 'touted' close to JL or EG quality; oh an the budapester last was made for my feet! (comparison to a budapester last I've seen in IRL).
Also keyword is 'fetish' :P

You cannot get pass Meermin LM if you are talking about bang for buck, styling issues aside.

Any of you guys have experience with Vass; after having a 2 month long fetish over at their thread I feel like Vass is the most 'Bang-for-Buck' shoe a 'shoe-aficionado' can get.
BTW
Anyone listen to hip hop? Haven't in a long while; but got back into it as a friend bought me an album; anyone hear good kid, maad city by kendrick lamar?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerry Nelson

Why do you believe this?

I think that it all depends what you want in a shoe.

For people who want a hand-welted shoe that is - as far as I understand - constructed to a higher standard, with more handwork than EG, G&G but for half the price, Vass is hard to pass up.

There are, however, two issues with Vass. Firstly, they are somewhat difficult to order as they don't have an online store so you must order via e-mail and pay by bank transfer, and secondly, some people (including myself) have experienced issues with getting their sizing right, particularly with the U last.

Find out what shipping he uses. Lockers cant accept non-aus post couriers. AFAIK this is Fed Ex & TNT, maybe Toll too. DHL pass to AP these days. UPS and USPS do too I think so will also be fine.

My Howard Young parcel is at the Post Office awaiting collection. They used UPS. Hoping tomorrow evening there is another slip in the letterbox for my O&J shirt and I can make one trip to collect both packages.

A house/apartment you live in is not an investment. It is to provide shelter. Not just physically, but also emotionally. The mental stability and the forced savings via repayments will manifest itself several years later, with different benefits to different people.

It is NOT a piggybank, nor is it a lottery ticket to a penthouse of your dreams.

If you can afford it, and factor in margin of safety for contingencies such as rises in interest rates, maintenance, and being temporarily out of a job for a few months, then buy it, live in it and enjoy it. as it will provide plenty of memories you will cherish.

Different kettle of fish if you are thinking of buying property as an investment/speculation.

Sounds like a bloke who has never owned a home. Problem with this is, those people, 99% of the time that rent never invest the difference between rent and mortgage mostly because they can't afford it (hence why renting in the first place) or they are themselves saving for a house deposit. I'm sure they are out there but I've never met 1 person that rents but has a huge share portfolio instead for example, not counting super of course. Other thing to bear in mind is eventually you have to retire, so say you retire at 65 and live till 90, you've still got 25 years of renting to take a nice chunk out of your super savings.

FWIW you can do well in certain situations quite quickly in the property market if you are smart. I bought my first apartment of the plan and made 50k in the 18months I had it (and lived in it). Those same apartments have now slowed in capital growth so timing plays a big part too. The point, there is no way you could save 50k in cash in the same period unless possibly living with mum and dad and not having a life.

Anyway, it doesn't really matter at the end of the day. Some people will make smart decisions and some poor. Some people with shitloads of money end up poorer than some people on average wage because they spend it like it's going out of circulation.

My only comments on housing in the most concise way I can (and yes lets turn it back to menswear)...

1) a house u live in is a utility cost - not an investment. Agree with Pete

2) Jase you may have ignored the cost of finance + transaction costs associated with property ownership. Common mistake. Cost of debt is say 6%, average rental yield is 4%. Even if you have 20% equity thats a 4.8% cost - then on average a 3% transaction fee on the prop value. IVe modelled the rent vs own argument and takes 7 years before you reach an equitable break even due to CPI inflation in your annual rental payments vs declining principal on the mortgage.

3) I saw a chart the other day from AMP - 20 years in term deposit = 5.6% return per annum, 20 years in Australian housing as investment (not utility) = 5.5% return per annum. So for arguments sake its no different assuming they are both investments (not housing to live in)

Anyone interested in a couple pairs on Alden's on the barrie last? (#8 chukkas in 11d and snuff suede (more like ginger) in 10.5D? The heel is too large for my feet and even after breaking in is irritating.